"Chapín"

Chapin: I Know I Have A Dream There...

I come from Guatemala and I’m heading to New York. Everything that I’m going through right now is like an adventure. I’m not getting too worried about anything. I’m in it as an adventurer. I’m experiencing different countries, going to different states in Mexico, and seeing different places. I don’t see it as something to be scared of, but as an adventure. I left my country almost a month ago. And look, I’m okay, nobody has robbed me, I haven’t been hurt, and I’m here at the border now.

Chapín: I Thank God Because I Always Receive Something...

plate of food

I thank God because I always receive something... If it’s not here then there, and if it’s not there, well, somewhere. I give thanks because last time I didn’t have anything, I didn’t have food I didn’t have any water, nothing. I came, and somebody said, here, have 50 pesos, 5 dollars. And I said, oh, thank you, be blessed. I went and bought some water and some food. And thank you very much.

I went and bought some water and some food. God always has a door open for me. Sometimes we as humans don’t see that but I know that there’s always one door that opens for us.

Chapín: Peeling Peppers

yellow peppers

And here, we’re helping to peel some of the peppers, yellow peppers, because I came early and I was helping here in the kitchen. And so we were here peel peppers and I took the picture because I always like helping. And so this is the picture.

Y aquí, estamos ayudando a pelar unos chiles, chiles amarillos porque yo llegué temprano y me puse a ayudar en la cocina, así que estábamos pelando chiles y les tomé una foto porque me gusta ayudar, siempre. Y esta es la foto. 

Chapín: Across the Wall is My Dream

morning landscape

And then here, this is in the morning. I got up. It’s 6:30 in the morning, and I took some pictures. I washed my face. And this is daylight already.

So what is this?

Well that’s the wall, and to know that across from the wall is my dream. And to know that one day I will reach it. This, there’s enough to get in the way, but it’s enough to know that I will be able to overcome. That’s what I like. That’s the wall.

Chapín: Daylight Already

morning landscape

And then here, this is in the morning. I got up. It’s 6:30 in the morning, and I took some pictures. I washed my face. And this is daylight already.

Y aquí, esto es en la mañana. Me levanté. Son las 6:30 de la mañana, y tomé unas fotos. Me lavé la cara, y esto ay es la luz del día.

Chapín: Dismay is Only for Cowards

man with blurred out face

This is where I woke up. It’s good to know that God gave me a new day. Each time when I wake up I thank God for giving me a new
day. I wake up and open my eyes, and move my arms and legs. And there’s other people who can’t. There’s other people who die. So every day when I wake up and I look around I say, thank you, Father, for giving me a new day.

Chapín: All at Peace in the Morning

Photo of shared sleeping space in the morning, before everyone has awoken.

You can see this is in the morning, and I was kind of sleepy, and everybody is asleep. This is really early in the morning. This is like 5:45 when I took this picture. I took that picture when they were all sleeping… I like seeing what it is I do every day. That’s what I was trying to do, what time I get up, and what time I go to bed, and here you can see that everyone is sleeping. And this is the beginning of a new day. It’s not cold, it’s a bit warm in there, and we’re all okay. We’re all at peace.

Chapín: God Gave Me a New Day

La Roca sleeping area

Well, for me, it’s good to know that God gave me a new day. Each time when I wake up I thank God for giving me a new day, and wake up and open my eyes, and move my arms and legs. And there’s other people who can’t. There’s other people who die. So every time, every day when I wake up and I look around I say, thank you, Father, for giving me a new day. And to know that I have a new opportunity, a new day to struggle for life, and to struggle for myself, for what I’ve set out to do myself day after day.

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